Joy Ride #2

I had a Joy Ride to High Prairie to see a doctor today. Again, it's about a 50 minute ride there and another 50 back, this time in the opposite direction then going to Peace River. Again I waited 3 hours and again I didn't get to see a doctor.

I'm not even going to say more about that.

The good news is, I managed to go for a walk for a 3rd day in a row. I walked around town this time. And I mean around the whole town. It doesn't take long to do in a place with a population of 305 people. I wonder,if maybe that includes the cats and dogs.

I went around my old school where I did my grades 3 to 12. It's still going strong and welcoming students every year. Who would have thought I'd be back here all these years later. Life is full of surprises!

Joy Ride

Went out for another walk today. I had to kick my butt to pull myself away from my books and writing but once I was out there it was good. I would love to be able to sneak in a walk everyday. I got two days in a row now. All I can do is aim for number three.

Little pine cones all over the snow.

I also went for a joy ride to the emergency department at the Peace River Hospital. It's a 50 minute drive to get there and a 50 minute drive back. That's almost 2 hours of my precious day off.

However, my elbow has been giving me a lot of grief and people have been after me to get it checked out. After much hemming and hawing on my part I decided I might as well get myself over there. So off I went.

I saw a nurse who took my vitals and heard my story and, as expected, there were people ahead of me so I sat down to wait for my name to be called.

Then I waited some more, (patiently), for the next 3 hours. During that time all the people who were there when I arrived were called in to see the doctor, plus 3 or 4 others who got there after me.

By this time I'm alone in the waiting area. Again, I waited (this time not so patiently). Another 15 minutes went by. Things were quiet and I couldn't see the doctor anymore. I went to the desk and asked the nurse, or whoever it was, who was eating her supper behind the desk.

"Will I be seeing someone soon do you know?"
"Who would you like to see?"
"Uhh, a doctor,"
"Oh. There's one coming in but I think he's coming to deliver a baby. I have no idea how long it will be." She spun her chair around and back to her supper she went.

I opened my mouth to ask why the doctor who was just there hadn't seen me and why those who came in after me had gone through then decided there wasn't much point. She made it clear she wasn't interested in hearing me.

I (had no more patience), I put my coat on and left.

By 7:30 pm I was back home, elbow issue unresolved and still a pain in the ass.....I mean ... arm.

I've had a hell of a lot more pleasant joy rides let me tell you.

A Friend of Long Ago.

A New Year's Eve stroll out at Winagami Provincial Park with a good friend Marcel.

Our lives have intertwined here and there through the years. Even though we ended up living in various different places in Canada for most of our lives we still made sure to touch base once in a while.

Somehow, for now anyways, life has brought us back to the same part of the country where we were raised. So what better way to spend the end of 2015 and the beginning of 2016 than with a friend of long ago.

The air was crisp but it was beautiful out there in big sky country. We walked on the trails for a while then made our way down to the lake. It's an awesome feeling to walk on water and it's so beautiful when the sun weaves it's way through the bull rushes and the hoar frost on the snow twinkles and sparkles like a magic show. There's nothing like it.

Follow that with a hot cup of tea, a supper shared and some card playing and what more could a person ask for really.